Join LinkedIn

Chance is not a business strategy. Life-changing opportunities rarely present themselves to you while you're lazing in bed. The more people you are in contact with, the greater your chance of having that moment you've been waiting for. In this post, I'm going to walk you through LinkedIn, an online tool for doing just that.

LinkedIn is a social network for businesspeople with over 50 million members, representing all 500 of the Fortune 500 – and hundreds of thousands of smaller businesses. If you aren't part of that 50 million, you should be. If you already have a profile, this article can help you take better advantage of it. Joining LinkedIn is an easy way to gain exposure, access to talented people, and learn about your industry.

The value of your LinkedIn network grows exponentially as you add new connections. That is because each connection exposes your profile to all of their connections as well. Thankfully, LinkedIn makes it dead simple to import your email contacts to get your network started. Once you've done that: search for colleagues, friends, partners, vendors, and add them.

Give value before you ask for anything. Recommend people who've helped you. Refer business to people who deserve it. Introduce people who would benefit from knowing each other. Generosity is the way to the trough on LinkedIn. Share links and articles you like, too. You never know who is going to appreciate them.
 
Christopher Bennett, director of communications at Best Buy Canada, thinks the service is a vital portal for business intelligence and idea-sharing. "If Facebook is the new social networking mixer, LinkedIn is the new Rolodex," says Bennett. "If there's one social media tool you need for today's business landscape, it's LinkedIn." (Bennett and I were introduced last year on LinkedIn.)

A Few Great Reasons to Get a LinkedIn profile

 1. Search Engine Optimization
LinkedIn profiles rank very well in search results. My profile is the #2 result for searches of my name, giving me more ownership of what people see about me online.
 
 2. Find Out Who Is In Your Six Degrees Of Separation
Knowing how you're connected to people, and leveraging that knowledge, is an incredible B2B sales tool.
 
 4. Stay Connected
You don't have time to chat weekly with every professional you've ever met; but a clear profile and an occasional status update can make sure that they never forget what you do.
 
 4. Be Your Own Private Eye
Scope out potential employees, vendors, and partners through their profiles. Size up competitors, too.

(More on Guy Kawasaki's blog.)

How to Create Better LinkedIn Profile

1. Don't write a lame bio.
This post by Copylicious is the best guide I've seen for bio writing.
 
 2. Make it easy for people to find you.
By including old jobs and even common misspellings of your name, you'll be found in more LinkedIn searches.
 
3. Be proactive.
Invite people to connect with you on your website and in your email signature. Every connection you add increases your odds of finding that golden opportunity.
 
The medium is still the message. Being on LinkedIn shows everyone you're "with it" and increases your visibility as a businessperson. Don't wait for opportunities to find you. Make your own luck. And add me as a connection while you're at it.